Musical Competition Documentary MAESTRA Set For May Theatrical Release

Women take center stage in Maggie Contreras' directorial debut MAESTRA which today announced the bi-coastal release dates for the award-winning documentary. Executive produced by David Letterman, the competition documentary shares personal stories of survival, passion, and perseverance of the women competing in the “La Maestra” orchestral conductor competition.

MAESTRA will open in New York at the Angelika Film Center in NYC on May 24th with an LA release to follow on June 7th at the Laemmle Royal with a VOD date to follow later this year. 

Q & As will follow multiple screenings in NY and LA that include director Maggie Contreras and special guests who appear in the film. The film will host a special preview screening in New York on Tuesday, May 21st followed by a conversation with executive producer David Letterman and Contreras.

“After a robust film festival tour, I am honored to bring the experience of MAESTRA to screens both large and small across the country. I hope audiences, especially women and girls, are inspired by the stories of these powerful competitors who are breaking barriers in the field of conducting, and are moved by the music and artistry of this unique field,” stated director Maggie Contreras.

MAESTRA follows five incredible women from around the world who are boldly breaking glass ceilings in the male-dominated world of orchestral conducting. These stories converge in Paris for ‘La Maestra', the only competition in the world for female conductors, to show the world the singular talent that unites them and which, for far too long, has been considered the pursuit of only men. The struggles and triumphs of the gifted artists in MAESTRA offer a microcosm for the challenges faced by women in every industry and in every walk of life today, while also providing valuable insights into how we may conduct ourselves as we create a new movement for a more equitable future.

Made with an 80% female team, MAESTRA World Premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival where it won an Audience Award for Documentary. Subsequent festivals include Sheffield DocFest, DC/DOX, Palms Springs International Film Festival, and more.  MAESTRA has racked up multiple awards on the festival circuit including Excellence in Directing by a Woman at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Feature as well as the Jim Ewing Award for Best First Feature at the 2023 Port Townsend Film Festival.

MAESTRA is produced and directed by Contreras and produced by Neil Berkeley, Emma West, Melanie Miller, and Lauren Lexton. David Letterman executive produced the film alongside Tom Keaney, Jonathan Ginns, Jamie Wolf, Nathalie Seaver, and Diane Becker. The film is presented by Worldwide Pants and is a production of BRKLY in association with Burns Park Media, Foothill Productions, and Fishbowl Films. 

More details about the film and release can be found online at MaestraFilm.com.